Tractor steering mechanism



I. A. ROBINSON.

TRACTOR STEERING MEGHANISM. APPLICATION FILEDIUNEQ. 1919.-

P'altented Mar. 16,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L. A. ROBINSON. TRACTOR STEERING MECHANISM. I kAPPLxcATloN f|LED1uNE9,1919.

Patented Mar. 16,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

fave/2501* 'l LLOYD A. ROBINSON,Y orainomfnnw Yonmnssrenoa T o DUPLEX Vmataron COMPANY,

l mcg orgmoinnnwonx. a o

-Torvallwhore1imag/concern:

Be it known that I, LLoYnA. ROBINSON,

a citizen of vthe UnitedStates, residing'at specification.

Troy, coun-ty, of Rensselaer, 'and State of New York, have invented certain newV and useful Improvements in lTractor Steering Mechanisms, of'which the following is a Reference may be ing drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, Whichform a part lofthis specification. Similar characters referto Similar parts v in the several iigures therein:

This' invention relates to` ymechanism for steering vehicles of various kinds, and is particularly'adapted'for use with various kindsof tractors. f n -K Certain objects of the invention are toj-V readily control* theY direction ofV movement of thevehicle particularly overk auunevenl path; andato relieve the steering mechanism from muchl of the shock'caused by thepas-A sageofthe guiding-member of the steering mechanism over an unevenpath.

vOther objects will appear in'connection with the following description.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in T side elevation, vpartly Vbroken -away and partly in central vertical longitudinal section, of my improved steering mechanism .Y

f mounted Aupon the lframe of a tractor;V

part ofv the frame or 'chassisfofa'tra'ctorfor\ Y Fig. 2y is' a vertical.,cross section of thev same takenvon the broken Vline .2 2 in Fig. f1. Fig. 3V isa vertical cross sectionl of the same takenonthe broken line 3-v-3 in Fig. 1.

l Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section lof the same taken on*l the broken'line 4.-4 in Fig. l

worm-gear whereby the ysteering mechanism is'controlled. y j, Referring to the drawings wherein the invention 1s shown-1n preferred forni,`1 1s 7 i Vthe like, the other endof said 'framevbeing supported "in any known' manner upon Y wheels `of the like, not "shownf i As the vvehicle may be `propelled in any `known manner, I have omitted to show any 1Specication`of-Letters Patent... I Paten to the accompanyenrofnATreN or Nnw YORK; I f I armaron STEERING MECHANISM; 1

particular propelling means; it being understood thatfthe' vehicle is preferably driven by some type of gas orf steamv engine.

I -otativelyA` mounted uponthey frame, 1, by means of a vertical spindle, 2, isa yoke, 3, to which rotatory movements may be im-v parted by means of a worm-wheel, 4, iXed upon the. upper endV of ythe spindle, 2, in engagementwith a` worm, 5, ona steering shaft, 6, uponwhich shaft is fixed ajsteer* `ing-Wheel, 7, in the usualmanner..V fr

'A housing-frame, 8, eXtendsacross yoke and is rockably orpivotally connected with the respective `ends of the a wivotbolt, 9, at each end. he ends of the housing-frame however, are preferablyniade lin the form of trunnions, 10, for which bearings, 11, are provided in the lrespective ends kof theV yoke, 3

'whereby the pivot-bolts, 9, 'are substantiall relieved of strain; f .A beam,'12 ,l extends longitudinally of the housing-frame,'8, being pivoted thereto by means of yacross-pin, 13, as more particu- .the

n p yoke as by Y ted Mar. 16, 1920.` Alppueatin nieu nmet, 1919.- se'ril Nd."s2,7o7.- 7

larlyV shownin Fig. 4.- At the point of such pivotal connectiom'the housing-frame, v8, is

of substantially inverted U-shape in cross section; and the beam, 12, is pivoted'between the side-members of the housing-frame.

A'KAL horiiontal cross shaft, or aXle,\14, is

' mounted upon thebeam, 12, by means of a clamp,v 15, and upon thegopposite ends of f this crossshaft,ll4=, are mounted a pair of wheels, 16, which together constitute the guiding means for the steering mechanism.

I have shown these' wheels mounted upon the cross shaft,14, by a conventional form -f of roller-bearing, 17, permitting the wheels to rotate independently of each` other upon said shaft. l

For certain purposesl of the. invention, however, anyvother'know'n'fo'rm of guiding mechanism adapted to support the beam, 12, Vmay ,be employed inplace `of the shaft, 1.4,

and wheels, 16. l f

Between the housing-frame, 8, and the` beam, 12, on the opposite side of the shaft,

14, from Vthe pivotalconnection, 13, is inter- 'posed av Coil-spring, 18', wherebyfthe loadV carried bythe housing-,frame is yieldingly supported by the beam, 12,- 'which in turn is supported by the guiding-whee1s, 16.

, the spindle, 2, if desired.

Another coil-spring, 19, is interposed betWeen the beam, 12, and the housing-frame,

8, in opposed relation to thespring, 18, asl

by interposing said spring, 19, between the beam and theV housing-frame on the opposite side of the pivotal connection, 13, from theV Y In controlling the direction of movement of the vehicle, the driver or operator turns the hand-wheel, 7, in the usual manner, thereby through the worm-gearjmechanism, 4f, 5, imparting a rotative movement in one direction or the other to the spindle, 2, and

Lso

yoke, 3. This causesa corresponding rotatory movement about the axis of] said spindle, 2, ofthe parts carried by the yoke, 3, 1ncluding the housing-frame, 8, beam, 12, shaft, 14, and guide-wheels, 16, causingthe guide-wheels, 16, to change the direction ofprogressive movement of the vehicle 1n accordance with the wishes of the driver.'

During such swinging movement of the guiding-wheels, 16, they arev free to, and will automatically, adjust. themselves to any 1nequalities in the` path over which they are traveling,`due to the rocking movement of the `housing-frame upon'the axis of the trimnions, 10, whereby it is rotatively mounted upon the yoke, 3. l

Shock and jars due to .the inequalities of the surface over which the guiding wheels, 16, are traveling are largely taken up and relieved by the coil-spring, 18, while the reaction or rebound of said spring, 181,'is largely taken up by the opposed spring, 19, thus relieving the steering mechanisme to a large extent from the shock and strain due to irregularities in the path traversed bythe guiding wheels.

1What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isv y 1. In Va steering mechanism for vehicles and in combination, a yoke pivotedupon a verticalaxis; means for rotatively moving said yoke upon said axis; a housing-frame extending across, and'havingits ends pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis upon the respective endsof, the yoke; a beam extending longitudinally of said housingframe; guiding mechanism carried by and supporting said beam; anda pivotal' connection between said beam and said housing-frame on one side of, and a spring interposed between said housing-frame and said beam on the opposite side of, the point whereat said beam is supported 'by said guiding mechanism. f I

2. In a steering mechanism for vehicles and in combination, a yokev pivoted upon a vertical axis; meanswforV rotatively moving said yoke upon said axis; a housing-frame extending across, and having its ends pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis upon the respective ends of, the yoke; a beam extendhousing-frame and said beam in opposed relation to said Iirstfmentioned spring. Y

3. In a steering mechanism for vehicles and in combination, a yoke-pivoted upon a vertical axis; means for rotatively moving said yoke upon said axis; a housing-frameV extending across, andk having its ends pivot- Vally mounted on a horizontal axis upon the respective ends of, the yoke; a beam extending longitudinally of said housings-frame; a cross-shaft carried by and., supporting said beam; a pair of wheels Carried by and supporting.y the opposite ends of said cross- Vshaft; and a pivotal connection between said beam and` said housing-frame on one side of, anda spring Ainterposed between said housing-frame and said beam onV the opposite side of, the point whereat said beam is supported by said cross-shaft. p.

4. In a steering mechanism for vehicles and in combination, a yoke pivoted upon a vertical axis; means for rotatively moving saidV yoke upon. said axis; a housing-frame extending across vand having its end pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis upon the respective ends ofthe yoke; a beamextend# i inglongitudinally of said housing-frame; a cross-shaft carried by and supporting said beam; a pair of wheels carried by andsupporting the opposite ends of said crossshaft; and a pivotal connection between said beam and said housing-frame on one side of, and a spring interposed between said housing-frame and said beam on the opposite side of, the point whereat said beam is supported by said cross-shaftg-.and a second spring interposed between said housingframe and said beam in opposed relation to said first mentioned spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of April, 1919. v l Y LLOYD A. ROBINSON. 

